Just a thought ...

While negotiating some of the norms and commonalities within the highly debatable notion on the culture of poverty (many will argue it is not a "culture" - Dr. Zorka Karanxja is one who comes to mind ...,) we do have to be mindful that though we have data and research to support some outstanding trends within various cultures, we do not want to reinforce stereotypes, especially the negative ones. Stereotype after stereotype is broken down as we gather more information and become skilled at understanding that we can’t be colorblind from a racial or socioeconomic perspective. 

"Our differences matter, but we are more alike than different."                 ~Dr. Leonard Burello

We have to stop having conversations about what deficits the students have and start having conversation about which assets they bring to the table.

Be mindful, we should keep all of this information in mind and apply what works for our collective classes, but we must also recognize that there is no one size fits all program for meeting the needs of any students, including students of poverty. We must take in what we can, sharpen our skill, and seek to understand how to meet the needs of all of our children. 

Weekly Newsletter Post 4

 This week’s information is coming from our book study on Why Culture Counts for Differentiating Content and Product.

• 80% of students who are recommended for special education placement are below grade level in reading.
• 63% of African American fourth grade students are below grade level in reading.
• Seventy-four million Americans read below the eighth grade level.
• 85% of juveniles coming from the courts are functionally illiterate.

~Jawanza Kunjufu

Statistics not provided in the book:

(The link with additional information is attached)

Did you know that several states project their inmate population and build prisons as a result of third grade literacy scores. (http://www.invisiblechildren.org/tag/failed-third-grade-reading-scores/)

Did you know that students who don’t read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to leave high school WITHOUT a diploma. The combined effect of poverty increases that statistic to eight times more likely. (http://www.aecf.org/Newsroom/NewsReleases/HTML/2011Releases/DoubleJeopardy.aspx)

What does your room look like?

Eric Jensen explains that between 85%-90% of all students in any given classroom are visual learners.  If your primary method of teaching is to lecture, to what percent of the class are you teaching?

What does my room sound like?

Are students expected to sit quietly and work or listen to you?  Do you provide ample opportunities for them to talk, question and discuss?

How much time do you devote to whole group lecture? How much of the time are the students truly engaged?

In your classroom, do students have opportunities to learn from themselves, to explore, to fail, and then try another approach.  Students need fail-safe environments to be successful.

Rigor: Every child deserves a rigorous, quality education. No one deserves a watered down curriculum.  To give students a mediocre education by having low expectations, is to assure them a life of low-paying jobs. 

            The goal to success is learning how to scaffold the curriculum. The idea of scaffolding is to envision a skyscraper going up. Can you walk to the upper floors of the building before the structure is in place? No! Scaffolding allows workers the support they need to move to higher levels of the building. The goal is still to get to the top and the scaffold allows them a platform of support in getting to their ultimate goal. The scaffolding is slowly removed once the foundation is set and is no longer needed. 

By providing scaffolding, we are providing students the support they need to venture to higher learning.